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<p>Most unfunded MS/MEng programs are primarily meant as methods for a company to send an employee through the degree program without requiring a thesis since companies can afford to pay that kind of money. Programs make a ton of money that way. The admissions standards aren’t as high because those people won’t be producing papers with university’s name on them and won’t be wasting the university’s money, so they aren’t as concerned with the quality of the student and it won’t reflect as poorly on the school if the student just isn’t that bright.</p>
<p>In my experience, there aren’t a ton of people in those non-thesis, unfunded programs that aren’t being sponsored by a company. It does happen, but it just isn’t that common most places. Most people who go to graduate school right out of undergrad do the thesis option, and those often (not always) get funded eventually.</p>